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Dr Walter Mzembi

Oliver Kazunga, Senior Reporter
MDC-T vice president Mr Nelson Chamisa has said the opposition party is backing Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Dr Walter Mzembi’s campaign to lead the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) as it was in the national interest.

In January, Dr Mzembi whose candidature has already been endorsed by the African Union (AU) and other regional bodies, officially launched his bid to become secretary-general for the world’s largest tourism body.

Elections for the UNWTO secretary-general’s post will be held in Madrid, Spain on May 11.

Speaking in Parliament last week Mr Chamisa, who is the MP Kuwadzana East, said Dr Mzembi’s bid to lead the UNWTO was a national cause where political partisanship has no room.

“Even though Honourable Mzembi is from the other party, we should look at the importance of the nation. What is important is the nation of Zimbabwe.

So, Hon Mzembi, we request that you give us a ministerial statement stating the benefits to the nation for us to ensure that all this works for the good of our nation,” he said.

“We should support the nation at large and not political partisanship. Whatever is good for the nation, is good for all of us. It is not about political parties but it is about the nation.”

While responding to questions in the National Assembly over his candidature, Dr Mzembi emphasised that his campaign was not an individual project but a national one endorsed as such by President Mugabe.

He said the President had also authorised the setting up of a national committee that was leading his campaign.

“It is led by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet (Dr Misheck Sibanda), who has delegated Ambassador Stuart Comberbach (Secretary for Corporate Governance and Delivery Unit in the President Office and Cabinet) to lead the campaign effort.

“At any one time, when we are reaching out to the world, we are a delegation of five or six members that are engaging the world,” said Dr Mzembi.

He said UNWTO was one of the 17 specialised UN agencies.

“Today, it (UNWTO) is overseeing the administration of the tourism sector globally and tourism is now the third global export earner at $1, 5 trillion income per annum ,” said Dr Mzembi.

He said he was competing with four other candidates from South Korea, Mexico, Brazil, Georgia and Seychelles and 33 countries will vote on behalf of the 160 member body.

“Ten votes are allocated to Africa out of the 33 votes; 10 votes to Europe, five votes to the Americas, five votes to South Asia and the Pacific and three votes to the Middle East. So far, my chances are above average and I think that I am the guy to beat in this election judging by the character of the elective field as it stands now,” he said.

— @okazunga